Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Collections: British Museum

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact upon the reputation of the British Museum caused by recent concerns over the security of its collections; and whether they have any plans to review the museum’s governance.

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are confident that the full extent of losses sustained through the recent spate of thefts from the British Museum is known.

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government when they were first informed of concerns about security at the British Museum; and what action the museum’s trustees were asked to undertake to address those concerns.

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have asked the trustees of the British Museum for a complete list of items lost, stolen or damaged while in its custody over each of the past 10 years, and when an inventory of such items will be published.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi.The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).

Collections: British Museum

Lord Boateng: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have received representations from foreign governments or other interested parties regarding items in the British Museum’s collections looted from former British colonial possessions in West Africa or Ethiopia in the light of recent concerns over the security of the museum’s collections.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: His Majesty’s Government has not received any such representations.

Actors' Benevolent Fund

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the conduct of theCharity Commission in relation to its enquiries about the Actors' Benevolent Fund.

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withthe chair and trustees of the Charity Commission about the appointment of trustees to the Actors' Benevolent Fund, and the application of section 80 of the Charities Act 2011.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As an independent regulator, the Charity Commission for England & Wales carries out its functions independently of ministerial direction or Government control. His Majesty’s Government has, therefore, not discussed this case with the Charity Commission.

British Museum: Theft

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to support the recovery of stolen artefacts from the British Museum; and what measures they are taking to increase security in this area.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: My department is closely monitoring the situation at the British Museum, and engaging directly with the Museum on this concerning issue.The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has spoken with the Chairman of the British Museum about this issue on a number of occasions and has sought assurances on the immediate measures that have been put in place to increase security at the Museum. She has also sought assurances on the details of the scope and timetable for the independent review of security which the Museum has instigated, led by a former trustee, Nigel Boardman, and the Chief Constable of British Transport Police, Lucy D’Orsi. The review will also support efforts to recover all missing collection items.The matter is also currently under investigation by the Economic Crime Command of the Metropolitan Police. The British Museum is working with the police to support their investigations.My department and I will continue to work closely with the British Museum – and the wider museums sector – to ensure that lessons are learned from this incident once the independent review is complete.Further details on this matter have been set out in the Written Statements which the Secretary of State and I made to Parliament on 4 September 2023 (HCWS994 and HLWS979).

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Pakistan: Christianity

Lord Harries of Pentregarth: To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Pakistan in connection with recent attacks on Christians, including the burning of eight churches in the Jaranwala area of Faisalabad.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK strongly condemns violence against Christians in Pakistan. Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), including for minority communities, remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. On 21 August I wrote to Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, urging the government to ensure the safety of the Christian community following the attacks in Jaranwala. This was a point I also raised directly with Mr Jilani during our meeting in London on 13th September. I also welcome the recent public statements in Pakistan by political and religious leaders that perpetrators of these shocking attacks against Pakistan's religious minorities must be held to account and the need for all places of worship to be protected. Caretaker Foreign Minister Jilani publicly called for those responsible to be brought to justice and reiterated the UK's commitment to freedom of religion or belief for all.

China: Sanctions

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials of the government of China are currently under UK Government sanctions.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has sanctioned four Chinese officials and one Government entity under the Global Human Rights sanctions regime. These individuals/entity were designated in March 2021 in coordination with international partners. They were designated for enforcing repressive security policies across many areas of Xinjiang which amount to violations of the right not to be subject to torture or cruel inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. These measures were taken alongside the US, Canada and the EU, sending a clear message to the Chinese Government that the international community will not turn a blind eye to such serious and systematic violations of basic human rights.

North Korea

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risks faced by North Korean refugees who are sent back to North Korea.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Despite claims by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) that forcibly repatriated refugees are well treated and reintegrated into DPRK society, it is clear from UN and NGO reports that they are often mistreated by the authorities. The UN Human Rights Council resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, which the UK cosponsored in April 2023, urges the DPRK to ensure their citizens who are expelled or repatriated to the country are able to return in safety, dignity and are treated humanely.

North Korea

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to raise the refusal by the government of China to provide assistance or protection to North Korean refugees in the UN Human Rights Council.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly co-sponsors the UN Human Rights Council resolution on the situation of human rights in the DPRK, most recently adopted on 4 April 2023, which strongly urges all States to respect the fundamental principle of non-refoulement. The UK actively promotes the implementation of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and we regularly call on all countries to abide by the principle of non-refoulement and not forcibly return people to countries where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.

Department for Business and Trade

Business: Northern Ireland

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government how many businesses relocated fromGreat Britain to Northern Ireland in the last four years.

The Earl of Minto: The requested statistics are unavailable as there is no register of UK “businesses.” There is no mechanism to relocate a UK limited company between jurisdictions. A company must maintain a registered office in the part of the UK in which it was originally incorporated. It is in this jurisdiction that the company remains legally domiciled regardless of where in the UK it might carry out its business activities. To relocate a limited company a new entity would need to be formed and the previous entity closed. No connection between the two would be recorded on the Register of Companies.

Batteries and Electric Vehicles: Safety

Earl Russell: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking (1) to control the import of faulty or dangerous products containing large batteries, such as e-bikes, and (2) to educate the public on safety guidance for such products; and what plans they have to require third-party approval or certification of such products prior to sale; and if they have any such plans, what is their timetable for implementing them.

The Earl of Minto: The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is prioritising work to understand and tackle the risks presented by e-bikes and e-scooters and has commissioned research into the safety of lithium-ion batteries. OPSS and Local Authority Trading Standards Services have powers to remove unsafe products from sale and are using data and intelligence to target unsafe products at the border, including those containing large batteries. In terms of safety awareness, in addition to the required information supplied with the products, the Home Office has published new guidance for consumers on safe battery charging practices in the home. The Government launched its Product Safety Review consultation on 2 August which explores the future of the UK’s product safety framework including consideration of third party conformity assessment requirements.

Certification Quality Marks

Lord Hain: To ask His Majesty's Government whether post-Brexit arrangements include recognition by the EU of UK testing facilitiesfor conformity assessment of products; and why some UK firms now need to seek approval from the EU for goods destined only for the UK market.

Lord Offord of Garvel: For most products being placed on the market in Great Britain (GB), products can comply with either GB or EU product regulations. UK Conformity Assessment Bodies can continue to certify goods for the UK market.  The EU does not recognise UK testing facilities for conformity assessment of products. Nevertheless, the UK is committed to exploring available avenues that could facilitate acceptance of EU-UK conformity assessment results and support British businesses.

Certification Quality Marks

Lord Hain: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they made before announcing the decision to continue recognition of the EU's CE mark for many UK companies, replacing plans for the mandatory introduction of the UK Conformity Assessment in 2024.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The Government’s engagement with businesses and organisations in the UK and internationally informed the decision to continue CE recognition of goods on the UK market for regulations owned by the Department for Business and Trade. The government continues to engage with industry, both domestically and internationally. Businesses and trade associations repeatedly expressed significant concerns with the duplicative costs for placing goods on EU and UK markets, and the lack of business-readiness for compliance with mandatory UK Conformity Assessment, which potentially may have resulted in product shortages in GB or increased costs to GB consumers. Extending CE recognition will help in mitigating these challenges.

Iron and Steel: Manufacturing Industries

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish a table showing the UK steel production, steel imports, steel exports, and the investment needed to make the UK self-sufficient in the production of steel.

Lord Offord of Garvel: MeasureEstimate (2022; millions of tonnes)SourceTotal UK Crude Steel Production6.0World Steel Association (here)Total UK Imports of Semi-Finished and Finished Steel Products (Defined by Harmonised System codes 7206 – 7307)5.5HMRC Trade Info (here)Total UK Exports of Semi-Finished and Finished Steel Products (Defined by Harmonised System codes 7206 – 7307)3.4HMRC Trade Info (here)  We have not made an estimate on the investment needed to make the UK self-sufficient in the production of steel, nor are we aware of any such estimates from external sources.

Trade agreements: USA

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had withbusiness groups in the United States of America with regard to any potential digital deal with theOffice of the United States Trade Representative.

Lord Offord of Garvel: The U.S. is our largest trading partner, with trade reaching over £290 billion this year, and our most important national trading partner in data-enabled exports. The UK exported over £75 billion worth of digitally delivered services to the U.S. in 2023. Ministers and officials regularly engage with a wide range of stakeholders including business groups, civil society and SMEs in both the UK and the U.S. on a range of digital trade and wider trade matters.

Foreign Companies: Property

Lord Sikka: To ask His Majesty's Government whether, further to thefactsheet published on 4 March 2022 which stated that the Register of Overseas Entities “will require anonymous foreign owners of UK property to reveal their real identities to ensure criminals cannot hide behind secretive chains of shell companies, setting a global standard for transparency”, and the implementation of the register on 1 August 2022, they will publish a table showing how many property owners have so far failed to reveal their real identities and the penalties levied upon them for failure to comply with the register’s requirements.

The Earl of Minto: As of 7 September 2023, over 29,000 overseas entities have registered with Companies House. So far, over 1,200 warning notices have been issued to unregistered overseas entities. Warning notices are a pre-cursor to the imposition of a financial penalty. Financial penalties to the value of around £660,000 have so far been issued. The Government currently has no plans to publish a list of unregistered entities, or the penalties imposed on them. This would distract from the important compliance work currently being undertaken.

Manufacturing Industries: Government Assistance

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the findings in the S&P Global/CIPS UK Manufacturing PMI survey, published on 1 September, which found that manufacturing industry has experienced "slower market conditions" and "declining new order intakes", what steps they are taking to provide support to that industry.

The Earl of Minto: The Government is ensuring the UK remains the best place to establish and grow a manufacturing business. The UK has the 8th largest global manufacturing economy and we are and will continue to be a major manufacturing nation.[1] We are investing in the sectors future through the Advanced Propulsion Centre, the Aerospace Technology Initiative, and Made Smarter, the manufacturing digitalisation programme. This month we announced a further £50 million for automotive research projects. We remain one of the World’s manufacturing nations, with Jaguar Land Rover, building the UKs first gigafactory, and Stellantis, Nissan, Boeing and most recently BWM announcing significant commitments to UK based manufacturing. Our plan for Advanced Manufacturing will continue to target and augment our support.   [1] https://unctad.org/statistics

Department for Education

Schools: Buildings

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with their counterparts in the devolved governments regarding the threat of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete to the safety of school buildings throughout the UK.

Baroness Barran: This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. We have acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue.The Department regularly engages with the Devolved Administrations at both an official and Ministerial level. The Department offered Ministerial meetings with counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh administrations, and with officials in the Northern Irish administration on 31st August. The meeting was accepted by the Scottish Minister for Education, and by officials in Wales and Northern Ireland.Since then, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has offered meetings with all Devolved Administrations to offer support and further discussions should they wish to introduce a similar approach to tackling RAAC in their school estates, such as a programme similar to the Department’s questionnaire and survey programme which has been running since 2022.All the relevant case information has been shared with the Devolved Administrations. Most recently the Department held a meeting at official level on 13 September 2023.

Schools: Curriculum

Lord Hampton: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the letter from the Secretary of State for Education to all members of the House of Lords on 24 August where she stated that "we’ve also seen some really encouraging trends in the subjects that pupils are choosing to study, with more students opting to take core academic subjects this year", how they define core "academic subjects"; and why they are so encouraged by the uptake of those subjects.

Baroness Barran: Core academic subjects are defined as those that are included within the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). The EBacc is made up of English language and literature, mathematics, the sciences, including computer science, either history or geography, and a modern or ancient language.The department is encouraged by the increased uptake in these core academic subjects because they are essential for many degrees, and they provide a sound basis for a variety of careers beyond the age of 16. In particular, they can enable pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds to follow a curriculum which will give them similar post-16 options as their non-disadvantaged peers, fostering greater social mobility.The EBacc’s core academic subjects provide a strong foundation for all pupils regardless of whether that want to take an academic, technical, or vocational route post-16.

Languages: Education

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are takingto encourage the uptake of the learning of foreign languages in schools.

Baroness Barran: The government remains committed to increasing the proportion of pupils who choose to study a language up to GCSE and beyond, as well as to improving the quality of language teaching at both primary and secondary schools.In March 2023, the department announced a new £14.9 million Language Hubs programme, including a distinct German Promotion Project. The programme will be comprised of up to 25 lead hub schools, all of which will work with partner schools to improve standards of language teaching across the country, in line with recommendations of the Teaching Schools Council’s 2016 modern foreign languages pedagogy review.Since 2016, the department has funded the £20 million Mandarin Excellence Programme, which supports schools and teachers to deliver intensive Mandarin study to increase the quality of Mandarin lessons and to increase uptake in the subject. The programme provides professional development and teaching resources for teachers in participating schools across England.From September 2024, teaching of the revised subject content for French, German, and Spanish GCSEs will begin. The new content is intended to encourage more students to take up these important subjects, making them more accessible to all pupils.To ensure high standards of modern foreign language teaching, language curriculum materials and associated resources will be developed by Oak National Academy, as part of its second tranche of procurement. The first materials will be available from autumn 2024, and full curriculum packages by autumn 2025. This will ensure that high quality, optional lessons are available nationwide, benefitting both teachers and pupils.

Schools: Buildings

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the potential risks of schools in England that have been built using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Earl Russell: To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools have not returned a reinforced autoclave aerated concrete survey; and what actions they are taking to ensure the safety of teachers and pupils in schools where the safety of buildings is not yet known.

Baroness Barran: Nothing is more important than the safety of children and staff. It has always been the case that where we are made aware of a building that may pose an immediate risk, the Department takes immediate action.It is the responsibility of those who run schools – academy trusts, Local Authorities, and voluntary-aided school bodies – who work with their schools on a day-to-day basis, to manage the safety and maintenance of their schools and to alert us if there is a concern with a building.The Department has acted decisively and proactively to tackle this issue. This Government has taken more proactive action on RAAC than any other in the UK. The Department issued comprehensive guidance in 2018, and subsequent years, to all responsible bodies highlighting the potential risks associated with RAAC and supporting them to identify this within their buildings, as well as to take appropriate steps in meeting their obligations to keep buildings safe. The most recent guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reinforced-autoclaved-aerated-concrete-estates-guidance.There are over 22,000 schools and colleges in England, and the vast majority are unaffected. A significant proportion of the estate was built outside the period where RAAC was used, with around one third of the estate built since 2001, therefore, the Department has focused efforts on buildings built in the post-war decades.The Department issued a questionnaire in March 2022, asking responsible bodies to inform the Department of any suspected RAAC identified in their estates. Responsible bodies have submitted questionnaires for over 98% of schools with blocks built in the target era, of which there are 14,900. We are pressing all remaining schools to get checks completed, to determine which schools require surveys.The Department is contacting responsible bodies to help them respond to this request and to advise on what needs to be done, so that they can establish whether they believe they have RAAC. This work will continue until we have a response for all target era schools.Schools and colleges where RAAC is suspected are being fast tracked for surveying, which is used to confirm whether RAAC is actually present. All schools and colleges that have already told us they suspect they might have RAAC will be surveyed within a matter of weeks, in many cases in a matter of days.All schools where RAAC is confirmed are provided with a dedicated caseworker to support them and help implement a mitigation plan and minimise the disruption to children’s learning.Across Government, Departments have been asked to report on the current picture of suspected and confirmed RAAC in their estates as soon as possible. This will be updated on a regular basis as new buildings are identified and surveying and remediation are carried out. The Department for Education published lists of education settings confirmed as having RAAC on Wednesday 6 September, and committed to providing further updates.Schools will contact parents where RAAC is identified and inform them of any impacts on their child. The vast majority of schools are unaffected. Any parents that are unsure if their child’s school is affected should contact their school directly.While some short term disruption is inevitable, all available measures will be taken to minimise disruption to pupil learning and ensure that pupils continue to receive face-to-face teaching. Where there is any disturbance to face-to-face education, schools will prioritise attendance for vulnerable children and young people and children of key workers. The guidance published by the Department in August also includes guidance on provision for pupils with SEND and sets out expectations that schools continue to provide free school meals to eligible pupils.The Department will fund emergency mitigation work needed to make buildings safe, including installing alternative classroom space where necessary. Where schools and colleges need additional help with revenue costs, like transport to locations or temporarily renting a local hall or office, the department will provide that support for all reasonable requests. The Department will also fund longer term refurbishment projects, or rebuilding projects where these are needed, to rectify the RAAC issue in the long term.All previously confirmed School Rebuilding Programme projects announced in 2021 and 2022 will continue to go ahead. A full list of confirmed projects can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-rebuilding-programme-schools-in-the-programme.Further information on RAAC in education settings is available on the Education Hub: https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/06/new-guidance-on-raac-in-education-settings/.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Pesticides: Risk Assessment

Baroness Randerson: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to reform the procedures for risk assessments of biopesticides prior to their approval for release onto the commercial market.

Lord Benyon: The term “biopesticide” covers a diverse group of substances with very different modes of action. They often, but not always, have a lower risk profile than conventional pesticides and we recognise that they can play an important role as part of an integrated pest management approach. We plan to review regulatory processes and data requirements to identify where approvals and permissions for biopesticides can be made simpler and speedier. This should reduce regulatory burdens on applicants and lead to quicker approval timelines, without compromising environmental and human health standards.

Food: Public Sector

Lord Rogan: To ask His Majesty's Government what percentage of food purchased by UK public sector bodies in each of the last three years has been sourced from UK producers.

Lord Benyon: The Government does not collect data on the quantity of UK produced food sourced by public sector bodies. Defra consulted on proposed changes to the public sector Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services last year and expect to publish revised standards in due course. Proposed changes to data reporting in the public sector supply chain formed part of this consultation.

Food: Waste

Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act 1996 in the United States; what plans they have, if any, tointroduce similar legislation to reduce food waste and allow for “apparently wholesome food” to be donated to charities; and whether they have received any representations from charities about the case for such legislation.

Lord Benyon: There are no plans to introduce legislation in this area. The absence of such legislation has not been seen as a key barrier to redistributors when it comes to increasing the availability of surplus food. Legal protection for suppliers of food, including the charities and organisations distributing surplus food, already exists in the form of the Food Safety Act 1990’s ‘due diligence’ provision. This is designed to balance the protection of the consumer from defective food with the right of suppliers of food not to be convicted of an offence they have taken all reasonable care to avoid committing.

Crops: Climate Change

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: To ask His Majesty's Government what, if any, support is available to domestic food producers whose crops are damaged or lost as a result of climate change-related extreme weather events.

Lord Benyon: We are aware of the concerns on variable weather conditions. The full impact will become more apparent as the harvest progresses – results will vary by region, area, crop, soil type, and fertiliser applications amongst other factors. The reality of the UK climate means that fluctuations in yield are expected and managed year on year by farmers. We are keeping the situation under close review, including through the UK Agriculture Market Monitoring Group (UKAMMG), which was set up by Defra and the Devolved Administrations to monitor the UK market situation across all key agricultural commodities. We also continue to regularly engage with industry to supplement our analysis with real-time intelligence.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Staff

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: To ask His Majesty's Government how many digital, data and technology staff (including contractors) are currently employed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; andwhat assessment they have made of the adequacy of that number.

Lord Benyon: As of 31 July 2023 the number of permanent digital, data and technology staff in Defra was 940, and the number of contingent workers was 201. This is the number of staff in our Digital, Data and Technology Services Directorate only, there will be some additional staff working on digital, data and technology activity elsewhere across the rest of Defra group. Our HR systems do not currently allow us to identify staff in this category. Defra continually keeps its resourcing under review. For digital, data and technology (DDaT) roles, there are particular challenges when it comes to recruiting and retaining civil servant staff – as acknowledged by the recent National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee reports into Defra’s technology, and by the Central Digital and Data Office’s own analysis and roadmap for DDaT in Government more generally. Defra therefore uses a blended model of civil servants, contingent labour and suppliers to deliver DDaT work, and has the resourcing needed to deliver the work required. As market conditions change, Defra regularly reviews the most efficient and effective blend of resourcing to deliver its work.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Administration

Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany applications for (1) licences, (2) grants, (3) subsidies, and (4) certificates, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs carried out (a) on paper, and (b) digitally, in the last year for which records are held.

Lord Benyon: The information requested is not held centrally and to obtain it would incur disproportionate costs.Defra Group is developing a digital transformation strategy which will express our collective ambition to provide joined-up digital services for citizens and businesses and to deliver environmental outcomes in a more efficient and effective way, through harnessing opportunities presented by digital data and technology.Areas of focus for our citizen and business facing services include:Reducing the number of paper forms people are required to complete.Making our services joined-up, consistent, user-friendly and accessible.Reducing manual processing to provide faster outcomes.As part of the strategy, we will explore our common types of services i.e. licences and grants, to identify opportunities to improve and consolidate our service and technology estate.

Department of Health and Social Care

Medical Records: Data Protection

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the differences in(1) the remit, and (2) the membership, of NHS England’s Advisory Group on Data and the Department of Health and Social Care's National Data Advisory Group.

Lord Markham: The Advisory Group for Data (AGD) is convened by NHS England and builds on the previous work by the Independent Group Advising on the Release of Data (IGARD). Currently operating in interim form, it includes the members of IGARD, alongside a representative of the Caldicott Guardian of NHS England, the Data Protection Officer, and senior staff supporting on Data and Analytics.It provides NHS England with access to expert advice and assurance on internal and external access to data in relation to the exercise of NHS England’s functions transferred to it from NHS Digital, including on specific requests for the dissemination of information in accordance with the statutory guidance issued by my Rt hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Its minutes are published on the NHS England website.The National Data Advisory Group (NDAG) is convened by the Department to provide strategic policy advice on data and data sharing, including the implementation of Data Saves Lives, the data strategy. It does not advise on specific data sharing requests and has a different membership to the ADG. NDAG includes, among others, the National Data Guardian for Health and Social Care, the Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Chief Executive of the Patient’s Association.

Tobacco: Northern Ireland

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultationstheycarried out with departments in Northern Ireland regarding the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have carried out as to whether the rules and laws which will now be applied in Northern Ireland as a result of EU law applied under the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 should also apply in the rest of the UK.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what further assessment they have given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the UK as a result of the application of the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 to Northern Ireland.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government how the different standards between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK as a result of the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 will be enforced; what paperwork will be required; and what checks will be carried out.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have carried out with District Councils in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023; and whatestimate they have made of thecost to councils of enforcing these regulations.

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to appoint the independent advisory panel required under the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023; what consultations have taken place about the membership; and who has so far been appointed to the panel.

Lord Markham: Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.

Incontinence: Health Services

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of continence care specialists in the NHS workforce; and what plans they have to further support continence care specialists following the publication of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan in June.

Lord Markham: No specific assessment has been made of the number of continence care specialists within the National Health Service workforce. NHS England publishes Hospital and Community Health Service workforce statistics for England, including by NHS trust. The published data is not though able to identify staff specialising in continence care.The modelling and staff training plans presented in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan look at the NHS as a whole at a high level to inform Government decisions on the workforce the NHS will need to meet the changing needs of the population over the next 15 years. This is designed to identify the right supply of staff across all clinical pathways and specialisms rather than workforce plans for specific services.

Community Health Services: Children

Baroness Merron: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to reduce backlogs in community child health services.

Lord Markham: We are committed to reducing community health care waiting lists for children and young people. That is why the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan sets commitments to grow the community workforce, with increases in training places for district nurses, health visitors, school nurses and allied health professionals, and a renewed focus on retaining existing staff.

Incontinence: Health Services

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have takento ensure that current guidance on quality continence care has been transitioned into Integrated Care Systems since April 2022.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a new National Audit of Continence Care.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what progress has been made on the development of care pathways by the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project since it recommenced following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will provide (1) an update on the timeframe for the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project, and (2) details of which stakeholders have been consulted in respect of that project, since it recommenced following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Markham: NHS England's Excellence in Continence Care guidance published in July 2018 brings together evidence-based resources and research for guidance for integrated care boards (ICBs), National Health Service providers, health and social care staff. It indicates that personalised care including personal health budgets can be arranged locally by ICBs to help people manage and pay for their continence care needs. A copy of the guidance is attached.There are no plans at this stage to conduct a new National Audit of Continence Care.NHS England will report on the National Bladder and Bowel Health Project setting out progress of development of Incontinence care pathways to its Excellence in Continence Care Board in October 2023. This will be published shortly afterwards setting out next steps for improving incontinence care pathways and will be shared with stakeholders for their consideration and input.Excellence in Continence Care (pdf, 626.2KB)

Cabinet Office

Freedom of Information: Special Advisers

Lord Birt: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they allow special advisers in government to review and delay responses to freedom of information requests.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: All Freedom of Information requests are processed according to the provisions of the Act. In 2022, government departments and other monitored bodies responded to 86% of requests within the permitted time limits. FOI statistics are published regularly and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statisticsIt is in line with the Code of Conduct for Special Advisers to give assistance and advice on any aspect of department business, including on requests for information made under the Freedom of Information Act, and to convey a minister’s views to officials. This has been the case under successive Administrations. The Cabinet Office has circulated a guidance note to cross-government practitioners which sets out the roles of special advisers in the process of responding to requests for information and which is available on Parliament’s website at https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmpubadm/576/report.html#heading-1.

Ministry of Justice

Coroners

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to review the guidance for coroners inPrevention of Future Deaths Reports.

Lord Bellamy: The Chief Coroner has issued Guidance for coroners on Reports to Prevent Future Deaths which can be found at: Revised Chief Coroner's Guidance No.5 Reports to Prevent Future Deaths[i] - Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.Any review of the Guidance is a matter for the Chief Coroner in his independent judicial capacity.

Funerals: Standards

Lord Rooker: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of delays in funerals being caused by (1) the existing system for registering a death, (2) the number of available pathologists, (3) delays in completion of Medical Certificate Cause of Death forms and access to local GPs, (4) the availability of mortuary storage at local hospitals and public mortuaries, and (5) any delays by medical examiners.

Lord Bellamy: Whilst the Government does not have operational responsibility for the provision of funeral services, we are aware of funeral delays in some areas and acknowledge that these are often exacerbated by pressures from within the wider death management system.Government departments are taking a collaborative approach to reforming the death registration system as part of the roll out of the statutory medical examiner scheme which will come into force in April 2024. The doctor who attended the deceased during their last illness has a legal responsibility to complete a Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) as soon as possible to enable the registration of the death to take place. Guidance for doctors on completing an MCCD, available on Gov.uk, emphasises this point. As part of the work on the statutory medical examiner scheme, the Department of Health and Social Care is looking at expanding the pool of doctors who can sign the MCCD forms. When the demand on civil registration services is high, death registration appointments will always take priority over other registration appointments.The Government continues to look at wider improvements to the death management system’s capacity and resilience, including mortuary capacity. The shortage of pathologists is a long-standing and cross-cutting issue. The Government is determined to make progress as soon as practicable. To that end, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State is engaging with Ministerial colleagues to implement effective solutions through a cross-government action plan.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Palace of Westminster: Repairs And Maintenance

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his Written Answers on 30 January (HL4799) and 13 February (HL5334), why the risk assessment undertaken made no reference to (1) existing control measures, or (2) the high level of driver certification of most drivers using the parliamentary estate.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The risk assessment did take into consideration existing control measures.There are users with differing levels of driver certification on the estate and this is taken into consideration when implementing traffic control measures. Moreover, a large proportion of drivers with a high level of driver certification using the Estate does not lessen Parliament’s legal responsibilities, or commitment to industry best practice, to provide safe access and egress for pedestrians through segregation or management of areas where vehicles and pedestrians share the same space.

Palace Of Westminster: Repairs And Maintenance

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his Written Answers on 30 January (HL4799) and 13 February (HL5334), what is the reduction in the number of (1) traffic levels, and (2) pedestrian usage, on the parliamentary estate duringrecess periods.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: For vehicles, the Palace of Westminster typically shows a 30% reduction in vehicle movements during recess periods. During sitting periods, a typical week will have circa 3,500 vehicle movements compared to 2,500 vehicle movements during recess periods.Pedestrian usage remains remarkably consistent during recess periods. This is because staff remain working on the Palace of Westminster and visitor numbers increase, particularly during the summer recess periods.

Palace Of Westminster: Repairs And Maintenance

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his Written Answers on 30 January (HL4799) and 13 February (HL5334), what comparable sites were considered, when identifying best practice, which have multiple police on duty at exits onto the public highway.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Direct comparisons were not made to other sites which have multiple police on duty at exits on to the public highway. The traffic control measures that have been put in place were based on risk assessments, traffic modelling carried out prior to the operation of the one-way system, stakeholder engagement, and construction industry best practice. On construction sites pedestrians and traffic are almost always segregated, but where this is not possible, such as on the Parliamentary Estate, additional mitigations are required.

Palace of Westminster: Repairs and Maintenance

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further to his Written Answers on 30 January (HL4799) and 13 February (HL5334), which stakeholders requested traffic marshals prior to their introduction and to whom those requests were communicated.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: A wide range of stakeholders were engaged before the implementation of the one-way traffic management system by Strategic Estates Construction Management Team. The key stakeholder groups were Parliamentary Safety Assurance Board (PSAB) and the Logistics Steering Group, a sub-group of PSAB. Concerns for stakeholders were the management of interface between pedestrians and traffic, the need to accommodate quick changes to traffic management due to events or incidents, and that Police are there for security and not to direct traffic. As such, traffic marshals were identified as best practice to meet the needs of the Estate. The traffic management solution, including use of traffic marshals, was approved by PSAB and the Logistics Steering Group prior to implementation.

Palace Of Westminster: Repairs And Maintenance

Lord Hayward: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker,  further tohis Written Answers on 30 January (HL4799) and 13 February (HL5334), what review of the roles of traffic marshals on the parliamentary estate has been undertaken, and when.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The role of traffic marshals has been reviewed regularly since their implementation. Over the summer, a thorough review of the current traffic management system, including traffic marshals, was carried out. The review recommended the one-way traffic system remain in place, but also recognised that users of the Estate have become used to the traffic system and that it is now part of “business as usual.” This means that while the risk assessment still recommends traffic mitigations, including traffic marshals, the number of marshals can be reduced. The number will be revised to five operating traffic marshals, plus one supervisor and two relief marshals, down from a previous 11 marshals.Aside from the review mentioned above, the traffic management system is reviewed whenever there is a change or incident related to logistics and traffic on the Estate.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Broadband: Digital Technology

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to evaluate the impact of full fibre roll-out on digital poverty levels.

Viscount Camrose: The Government has been clear in its commitment to bring fast, reliable, resilient infrastructure to as many people as possible as quickly as possible. In our Digital Strategy  we set out our vision to enable everyone, from every industry and across the UK, to benefit from all that digital innovation can offer. Ofcom’s September 2023 Connected Nations report shows that full-fibre or gigabit-capable connections are available to 75% of all homes in the UK, with 98.7% of premises having access to infrastructure able to provide speeds of 10Mbps or more. However, tackling digital poverty requires overcoming a range of barriers aside from the ability to access digital infrastructure (such as full fibre), including an individual’s digital skills, the affordability of connectivity services and devices as well as ensuring they have sufficient motivation and confidence to go - and stay - online.

Home Office

Visas: Graduates

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government how many individuals were granted an entry visa to the UK in the 2022–23 financial year under the High Potential Individual (HLI) route; and of those, (1) how many had (a) a PhD or equivalent qualification, or (b) other postgraduate qualification, (2) how many had studied a STEM subject for their highest achieved qualification, and (3) how many of those studied in each of the universities which provide eligibility for this route.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: Using the data from the published migration statistics for the year ending June 2023, the number of individuals granted an entry visa to the UK in the 2022–23 financial year under the High Potential Individual route is 1851.We are unable to provide the information requested regarding the number of individuals holding a PhD or equivalent qualification or other postgraduate qualifications, how many individuals had studied a STEM subject for their highest achieved qualification or how many individuals studied in each of the universities which provide eligibility for the High Potential Individual route as the data is not readily available and would require a review of each individual case.

National Policing Board

Baroness Hoey: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the appointment of independent members to the National Policing Board and the current compliance of that process with the law.

Lord Sharpe of Epsom: The standing membership of the National Policing Board comprises senior policing leaders along with the relevant ministers and government officials.On an annual basis, policing leaders in Northern Ireland and Scotland are also invited. The Board’s Terms of Reference provide a full list of members and are published on gov.uk.These also provide the flexibility to invite additional representatives and specialists where the agreed programme of work requires it. Minutes of the National Policing Board are published on gov.uk and list all the members and special invitees in attendance.

Undocumented Migrants: English Channel

Lord Lee of Trafford: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policyon the storage, disposal or re-use of any serviceable inflatable craft or similar craft used by cross-Channel migrants.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided to PQ HL7826 on 23/05/23.

Asylum and Visas: China

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government how many (1) asylum, or (2) humanitarian protection, visas were granted to people from China in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, and (d) 2022.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on asylum in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on initial decisions made on asylum applications, including grants of refugee permission and humanitarian protection by nationality, can be found in table Asy_D02 of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’.Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relate to the year ending June 2023.table Asy_D02  (xlsx, 9565.7KB)

Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

Energy: Carbon Emissions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking tosupport energy firms to meet emissions reduction plans.

Lord Callanan: The Department is leading the delivery of the target to decarbonise the electricity sector fully by 2035, subject to security of supply. A priority area of energy production for reducing emissions is North Sea oil and gas extraction. Through the North Sea Transition Deal, the sector committed to reducing emissions by 50% from 2018 to 2030, through measures including ending routine flaring and venting and delivering platform electrification. The North Sea Transition Authority estimates that UK upstream greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3% year-on-year in 2022, representing an overall reduction of 23% from 2018.

Small Businesses: Carbon Emissions

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help small and medium sized enterprises reduce their carbon footprint.

Lord Callanan: The Government has relaunched the UK Business Climate Hub, which provides free, detailed advice on how SMEs can reduce their emissions and signposts funding opportunities. The Hub will soon be complemented by a new Energy Advice Service, providing SMEs with trusted advice on energy efficiency. Alongside local support schemes, businesses can access the Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Workplace Charging Scheme and Cycle to Work scheme. The Net Zero Council has established a working group to champion the needs of SMEs.

Solar Events

Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 6 June (HL7991), what assessment they have made of (1) the size and power of the coronal mass ejection (CME) of 12 March in comparison to that of the “Carrington Event” of 1859, and (2) the impact this CME would have had if it had travelled towards, rather than away from, the Earth.

Lord Callanan: The Met Office is responsible for advising the Government of the likelihood and impact of Severe Space Weather, such as coronal mass ejections. An event like that of 12 March travelling towards Earth would have global impacts on key sectors including energy, telecommunications and transport. The Met Office Severe Space Weather Scales set out further information on the potential impacts.

Carbon Emissions: Manufacturing Industries

Viscount Waverley: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the amount of electrical power that will be required to decarbonise UK industry, and (2)wherethat power will be required in the UK.

Lord Callanan: Analysis carried out for the Electricity Networks Strategic Framework found that industrial electricity demand in 2050 could range between 85 and 115 Terawatt hours depending on resource and energy efficiency, and fuel switching choices between electricity and hydrogen. This range builds on the two scenarios presented in the Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy, Annex 4.This analysis will evolve over time and continues to be used to inform networks policy, including future regional industrial demand for electricity.

National Grid

Lord Whitty: To ask His Majesty's Government what additional capacity they forecast is needed on the National Grid to accommodate the level of demand from the anticipated increase in the number of electric vehicles by 2030; and what additional capital costsare required by such increase in capacity for transmission and distribution per annum up to 2030.

Lord Callanan: The Electricity Networks Strategic Framework sets out the Government’s approach to readying the network for the increase in peak electricity demand anticipated as we electrify transport and other sectors. We expect peak electricity demand to increase to approximately 80 GW in 2030 of which electric vehicle demand makes up approximately 10%, before any demand side response. Due to existing spare distribution network capacity, we do not expect this to lead to any significant rise in distribution network capital costs before 2030. We expect £30 billion of transmission network investment between 2023 and 2030.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Deductions

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what information individuals moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit are given about their right to request write-off and waivers of outstanding debt.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Whilst customers are not automatically informed of their option to seek a waiver, we remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and encourage anyone who cannot afford the proposed rate of repayment, or that does not consider recovery appropriate given their particular circumstances, to contact the Department.

Universal Credit: Deductions

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government what prior warning individuals moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit are given about deductions from their first Universal Credit payment about tax credit debt.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: HMRC notifies the customer of the amount of debt being transferred and explains that DWP will recover by deduction from Universal Credit. Once transferred to DWP for recovery, any Tax Credit debt is recovered in the same way as overpaid DWP benefits. Where the customer is in receipt of Universal Credit, deductions are taken from the next available assessment period. Customers are advised of the rate of deduction through a notification posted in their journal. DWP has a well-established process for working with individuals to support them to manage their debt. We remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and encourage anyone who cannot afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact us.

Universal Credit: Deductions

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government whetherindividuals moving from legacy benefits to Universal Credit with tax credit debt will have deductions taken from their Universal Credit award commencing on the first Assessment Period.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: Once transferred to DWP for recovery, Tax Credit debt is recovered in the same way as overpaid DWP benefits. Where the customer is in receipt of Universal Credit, deductions are taken from the next available assessment period. Customers are advised of the rate of deduction through a notification posted in their journal. DWP has a well-established process for working with individuals to support them to manage their debt. We remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and encourage anyone who cannot afford the proposed rate of repayment to contact us.

Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Line: Concrete

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government in which locations on the HS2 route reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete has been (1) specified, or (2) used, in building (a) already completed, or (b) under way.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Survey work is underway. The Government is bringing together the information we hold about the Government estate into one place. This work is being coordinated by the Office for Government Property.

Airports: Safety

Lord Berkeley: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement on 7 September that the UK will re-join the EU's Horizon and Copernicus programmes, whether they will include theEuropean Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) to facilitate earlyimprovements in the reliability and air safety of small airports.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is separate to the Horizon and Copernicus Programmes. The DfT is working with other departments to understand the case for a UK Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS). As well as replacing the functionality of EGNOS, this system could offer benefits across transport and multiple Critical National Infrastructure sectors. To support this, the DfT is assessing the requirements following loss of access to EGNOS. The DfT is funding a UK SBAS testbed project to demonstrate the capabilities of such a system. This will inform the DfT’s consideration on next steps for this work.

Disability: Parliamentary Estate

Lord Shinkwin: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 3 July (HL Deb col 991), when they will publish a response to the Policy Exchange paperA Culture of Impunity: The ongoing erosion of disabled people's access to Parliament and Westminster, published on 8 June.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government agrees that disabled people should be able to go about their everyday business without being affected by the unlawful and inconsiderate actions of others. It agrees that the issues highlighted in the Policy Exchange paper, including the disruptive actions of protestors and the inconsiderate behaviour of some cyclists and e-scooter riders, can have a disproportionately negative impact on the journeys of disabled people in and around the Westminster area. However, the Government does not agree that there is a culture of impunity in relation to these issues. Cycling or riding an e-scooter on the pavement is already an offence, and enforcement of this is a matter for the police, who also have powers to deal with protestors who are blocking the pavement or highway. Like all highway authorities, Westminster City Council has the power to remove items including abandoned rental cycles or scooters from the pavement or highway if they are causing an obstruction. Operational decisions on these and other issues are a matter for the police and Westminster City Council.

Low Emission Zones: Greater London

Lord Strathcarron: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they intend to use all or any of sections 141(1), 142(2) or 143 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 to reverse the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: It was the Mayor's decision to expand the ULEZ to the Greater London boundary. There was no legal requirement for the Mayor to consult Government on his decision. The only powers for Government sit under Section 143 of the GLA Act which are focused on correcting inconsistencies between national transport policy and the Mayor's Transport Strategy. Therefore, these powers cannot be exercised.

Treasury

Business: Pay

Baroness Wolf of Dulwich: To ask His Majesty's Government how many businesses and organisations had a wage bill of between £2 and £3 million in (1) 2021–22, and (2) 2022–23.

Baroness Penn: We estimate there were 11,100 and 12,200 employers with wage bills between £2m and £3m, in the 2021 to 2022 and 2022 to 2023 tax-years respectively.